Music Meets Rhetoric
Tuesday, March 4, 2014
Rhetorical Appeals: "Same Love" (logos)
The logos portrayed in Same Love is subtle yet apparent throughout the entirety of the song. For beginners, the artist Macklemore, having a gay uncle, recognized the struggles of a gay couple in America and references the numbing of society as '"Man thats gay" gets dropped on the daily". One other reference, which is slightly more subtle, references the derogatory nature of the internet through the line "have you read the youtube comments lately?". Macklemore brings to light the slur of the word "gay" through it being "synonymous with the lesser" and how it can be truly taken personally.
Monday, March 3, 2014
Watch What Happens
Effect of Rhetoric Appeal:
Rhetoric is used in order to obtain some intended effect, whether it makes people think and join a cause or put them at odds against a cause, rhetoric appeal always yield effects. The performance on the Grammy's show last night was no different, this time around it rallied for equality.
Being the technology savvy generation, one doesn't have to wait a week or month to know the effect that Same Love's performance had. Social Media sites provide a medium for immediate response and reaction.
The average individual, celebrities and activists shared their opinions, praise and comments about the spectacle of the 34 marriages they witnessed during the 56th Grammys.
Below are a few responses from tweeps:
This shows that the performance captured the attention of the masses, enabling the ability to strengthen the supporters of the cause.
Rhetoric is used in order to obtain some intended effect, whether it makes people think and join a cause or put them at odds against a cause, rhetoric appeal always yield effects. The performance on the Grammy's show last night was no different, this time around it rallied for equality.
Being the technology savvy generation, one doesn't have to wait a week or month to know the effect that Same Love's performance had. Social Media sites provide a medium for immediate response and reaction.
The average individual, celebrities and activists shared their opinions, praise and comments about the spectacle of the 34 marriages they witnessed during the 56th Grammys.
Below are a few responses from tweeps:
This was a moment of love that will never be forgotten #GRAMMYs
— The GRAMMYs (@TheGRAMMYs) January 27, 2014
"Open your heart to me, darlin' I'll give you love if you, you turn the key"#GRAMMYs
— The GRAMMYs (@TheGRAMMYs) January 27, 2014
My face hurts from smiling. That was one of the coolest things I've ever gotten to see. Much much love. Well done, Grammys.
— Neil Patrick Harris (@ActuallyNPH) January 27, 2014
That was one of the coolest things Ive ever seen on TV. Macklemore & Lewis, Queen Latifah, Mary Lambert & Madonna. #SameLove #GRAMMYs
— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) January 27, 2014
— Country Music Tattle (@cmtt) January 27, 2014
#SameLove was incredible. Love to @Macklemore, @RyanLewis, @MaryLambertSing@Madonna & @IAmQueenLatifah for a beautiful performance #GRAMMYs
— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) January 27, 2014
@macklemore makes me want to be a better person. I'm so thankful for his talent and that he's sharing it. #powerful
— Kelly Clarkson (@kelly_clarkson) January 27, 2014
#christians with no #Christ is just as bad & #deceiving as associating#SameLove with #God'sLove #GRAMMYs. Simply put, they are not the same
— Apostolic Problems (@ApostolicProbs) January 27, 2014
And:
This world has completely lost it! Queen Latifa just officiated a mass Wedding at the #GRAMMYs! Really!! How disrepectful to #God.
— Latinpianist™ (@Latinpianist) January 27, 2014
But many appreciated and felt validated by Macklemore's statement:
My God is your God! #god #jesus #love #equality #proud #isupport #believe#blessed #history #samelove… http://t.co/qOEY9tRSY3
— Aimee (@fluffylinda77) January 27, 2014
Whatever God you believe in, we come from the same one. #God #Macklemore#samelove http://t.co/aqtglm22dT
— PĂ©rola Couto (@britishdragons) September 8, 2013
I was taught where there is love there is #God.So if i loved some one of the same sex then God is still there! #samelove #gayforjesus
— Andres Maldonado (@anDres_Luv) July 24, 2013
— Kim Lavine (@KimLavine) January 27, 2014
Watching the #GRAMMYs when #Madonna performed was historical. There is a #God who loves all of us. #gayrights #love #MarriageEquality
— YOVANNI™ (@YOVANNImusic) January 27,
These tweets were sampled from a post by Huffington Post and Today Entertainment and those were a few of the several thousand responses that poured out from twitter.This shows that the performance captured the attention of the masses, enabling the ability to strengthen the supporters of the cause.
Sunday, March 2, 2014
Sam Cooke's Style
Sam Cooke’s songwriting and performance of “A Change is
Gonna Come” is fitting for the Civil Rights movement, as it became an anthem of
hope and ultimate triumph. Influenced by Bob Dylan’s “Blowin’ in the Wind”,
Cooke strayed away from his usual pop-like tunes, and instead reverted back to
gospel in performing this piece. One would think a protest song would
incorporate shouting in order to portray strong emotions but Cooke was able to
do so smoothly. So spiritually. Yet at the same time, the listener could feel
the agony of “And I say brother help me please/ But he winds up knockin’ me” and
the hope in “There were times when I thought I couldn’t last for long/ But now I
think I’m able to carry on”; all through his voice. In addition to his amazing
vocals, the instruments utilized in this piece strengthen all the emotions and
the message within Cooke’s piece. In trying to instill hope in the listener, he
mentions multiple instances where he faced trouble; and each time, the song
reaches a crescendo by the end; sending a chilling vibe through the listener. Hence why this song was very empowering; not only in regards to Civil Rights issues
but to any issue that triggers pain and sorrow to a soul.
Logos: A Change is Gonna Come
Although Sam Cooke’s “A Change is Gonna Come” features very
little logical proof for encouraging one to bear his/her challenges, for better
times are to come, the lyrics follow a timeline of events within his life. This
timeline of events, however, encompasses a person who has endured a lot of
misery and yet promises to keep fighting, because “a change is gonna come”. The
song opens with, “I was born by the river in a little tent/ And just like the
river I’ve been running ever since”. This is a start of the timeline of events,
as well as a visual context to the begging of his troubles. Similarly, the next
few verses also describe instances of Cooke’s experiences of disparity. For
instance, he writes, “I go to the movie/ And I go down town/ somebody keep
telling me don’t hang around...” In the end, he summarizes, “There were times
when I thought I couldn’t last for long/ But now I think I’m able to carry on.”
Despite all the pain and the suffering, Cooke continues to carry on because he
believes “a change is gonna come”.
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